Opinion

Downhill ever since

Posted:
07/31/2014 02:09:27 PM EDT

To the Editor:

Kudos to Kathe Dillman and Neil Humphrey for their letters bemoaning the direction that the town is moving - I suspect many locals agree with their sentiments - which seems to be satisfying the developers who have turned the town into anywhere U.S.A. We now have a outlet town being taking over by national chains.

When I arrived in 1970, the town fathers, who would be rolling over in their graves if they saw what Manchester has turned into, guided the town aware that they were a part of real Vermont. They tried to keep McDonald's out and then wrote guidelines to limit fast food restaurants that have been circumvented.

Most people living in Manchester today don't realize what a great place this was. People were friendly, made eye contact, and I felt that I was in a place where people cared about people unlike New York City from where I emigrated. I was in heaven. Manchester was also a party town with great people and great night life. I loved the locals. They were real people.

It basically remained great until the outlets arrived and ONE developer filled the town with outlet after outlet. It's been downhill ever since and now is mimicking NYC in that only large corporations can afford the rent.

As far as the hotel goes, why has it not been pointed out in the press and elsewhere that Hampton Inn is, in fact, Hilton?

To me the new Dunkin Donuts looks like a fast food restaurant.

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I don't see any great amount of green space as a result of the expanded size of the new outlet. The 3000SF (3,000 square-feet) limit made sense.

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